Here’s How to Stop Your Windows from Steaming Up This Winter

Window fog, one of car ownership’s nuisances, brings with it myths about shortcuts, remedies, and prevention. People have all sorts of ideas about what works best, and the recommendations usually include something other than a product specifically designed for that purpose.

YouTuber ChrisFix set out to test five different remedies to show us how to keep our glass fog-free. The experiment included a store-bought anti-fog product up against four common household items. Each one was applied to the interior side of the car’s window as a preventative.

First, he reviews how we get fog on the inside of our car windows. Cold air outside clashes with moist, warmer air on the inside, causing condensation. Your heater, breath, and other things can cause the windows and windshield to haze over. Treating the inside portion of the glass can help prevent the foggy effect from forming.

Outside fog that forms from humidity and your A/C is a different type, and not covered in this particular vid by ChrisFix. In this test, one car window was partitioned off into five sections to test five cures. Each item was applied to the glass’s surface and wiped down to remove any excess. A hot pot of water was used to create steamy windows.

ChrisFix

Let’s take a look at which myths and fixes were used.

Anti-Fog by Rain-X

This popular brand has an array of products for your vehicle, and was applied rather quickly and cleanly.

Shaving Cream

Some folks use this on their bathroom mirrors and swear by it. It took a while for ChrisFix to rub the glass down and then remove the excess, thus requiring more time.

Baby Shampoo

Used in scuba diving and motorcycle riding circles as a go-to to deter goggle fog, a small dab of baby shampoo was smeared onto the glass. ChrisFix noted that after applying it, buffing it should still leave a clear (but streak-free) layer of soap.

Raw Potato

There’s probably a book floating around somewhere on all the uses of raw potato, because it’s useful for clearing up so many problems. Another section of window was glazed with raw potato juice, and he buffed off some of the small streaks left over.

Hand Sanitizer

Thought to be an ideal anti-fogger because of its alcohol content and success as a de-icer, hand sanitizer was rubbed onto the last section of the car window.

You’ll have to watch the video to see how each of these fared, but the Rain-X performed well under steamy conditions. ChrisFix spoke about foggy scuba goggles, but people encounter haze on things like their eyeglasses, headlights, and helmets too. If you’d rather use something other than a car product (or your sleeve), one of these could be a great alternative.

If you choose to go the route of simply using your defroster, click off the recirculation button to help balance out the moisture in the car. What methods do you use to prevent or remove fog on your car windows? Have you ever tried one of the alternatives in the video? Tell us in the comments!